Pre-selected Mechanical Exception watches in the 2014 Grand Prix

Mechanical Exception Pre-Selected Watches: Round Table Discussion Of The Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève 2014

While this category in the 2014 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève is called “Mechanical Exception,” it could well be titled “exceptionally difficult to pick a winner.” And that’s because of the incredible selection of exceptional watches to choose from: Urwerk EMC, Jaquet Droz Bird Repeater, TAG Heuer Monaco V4 Tourbillon, MB&F Legacy Machine No. 2, Hublot, MP-05 LaFerrari, and Andreas Strehler Sauterelle à Lune Perpétuelle.

Richard Mille RM011 Orange Storm and White Ghost

Monthly News Roundup: Richard Mille, IWC, Vacheron Constantin, MB&F, HYT, Nomos, Jaquet Droz, Fonderie 47, And Moser & Cie

This month’s news roundup includes a pair of limited edition humdingers by Richard Mille; an elegantly understated day-date by Vacheron Constantin; IWC’s Formula 1-powered new Ingenieur models; a complicated red gold timepiece by Fonderie 47; a black plastic rendition of MB&F’s HM5 called CarbonMacrolon; HYT’s latest collaborator; a Bauhaus beauty by Nomos; Jaquet Droz’s Enchanted Journey; Moser & Cie’s clever new tourbillon; and the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève.

A. Lange & Söhne’s Lange 1 in red gold against the backdrop of Dresden’s Semper opera house

A. Lange & Söhne: From Dresden To Madison Avenue

Ferdinand Adolph Lange had already been selling watches in Saxony’s capital city Dresden since 1844. Follow us on a historical journey through nineteenth-century Dresden to lightly trace the footsteps of the Glashütte watch industry’s founding father, which continues in the modern day with A. Lange & Söhne’s new boutique on New York City’s Madison Avenue.

Greubel Forsey And The Proverbial Loose Screw: An Anniversary Tale

On this sunny day in the La Chaux-de-Fonds factory, which is half charming eighteenth-century farmhouse and half state-of-the-art technical facility, I was entirely surprised by having learned something new about one of Greubel Forsey’s production elements: screws. The subject came up in passing at lunch, sparking great passion in Forsey despite what might seem to be a miniscule topic to the uninitiated.

Jaquet Droz Grande Seconde Quantieme Ivory Enamel

Monthly News Roundup: Audemars Piguet, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Hublot, George Daniels and Roger Smith, Speake-Marin, MB&F, Arnold & Son, Jaquet Droz, Grieb & Benzinger, Chronoswiss

This month’s news roundup includes a complicated new timepiece by Audemars Piguet, a famous wrist wearing Jaeger-LeCoultre, Hublot’s latest high-profile partnership, George Daniels and Roger Smith’s only serial timepiece up at auction, Speake-Marin worn by the world’s most famous spy, MB&F’s MusicMachine 2, Arnold & Son’s elegant ultra-thin tourbillon in a new case, Jaquet Droz’ latest timepiece, a unique bespoke timepiece containing an historical movement by Grieb & Benzinger, and a wristwatch Chronoswiss has created to auction off for charity.

Richard Mille ambassador Cristie Kerr

Monthly News Roundup: Richard Mille, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Ulysse Nardin, Hermès, Moser, F.P. Journe, Omega, Louis Moinet, HYT And More

This month’s horological news features new launches that include the Jazz Minute Repeater by Ulysse Nardin, hand-painted Persian horses from La Montre Hermès, F.P. Journe’s titanium Octa Sport, the new, commemorative Speedmaster Apollo 11 from Omega, the chilly Iceberg by HYT, a new ambassador for Richard Mille and much, much more.

Reynold by Pierre de Roche

Monthly News Roundup: Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux, Cartier, Breguet, Jaquet Droz, Romain Jerome, Pierre de Roche, Grieb & Benzinger, RGM, Sotheby’s

There was a lot of news this month from Audemars Piguet, Girard-Perregaux, Jaquet Droz, Grieb & Benzinger, Romain Jerome, Sotheby’s, Breguet and more.

Peacock at the Hotel Byblos in Saint Tropez

Heartbeat: Colorfully Quilled Peacock In Saint-Tropez

The peacock’s iridescent colors are not actually pigment colors at all, but are reflections off the structure of the feathers, which have patterned nano-fiber components. Slight changes in the spacing of the nano-fibers produce different colors much in the same way as iridescent colors reflect off a film off brown/black oil or a butterfly’s wing. But they are none less beautiful for that.

Tomas Berdych and Rolex court clock via Instagram

Time For A Contender: Meet Tomas Berdych, The Tennis Champion With A Passion For Watches

Just about every top tennis player can boast a significant watch sponsorship. Just about everyone that is, except for the one who knows the most about timepieces: world number six Tomas Berdych.

Brightly colored model of a tourbillon escapement designed by Nicholas Manousos

Focus On Technology: 3D Printing, What Is It Really?

I went to the theater recently and saw a typical raunchy comedy called ‘Neighbors.’ Much to my surprise, I saw something I cannot remember ever seeing in a mass-marketed movie: a 3D scanner and 3D printer being used by the main characters in a funny circumstance. (For said circumstance, please watch the movie because it cannot be discussed here.)